Mori Kaku

Politician and businessman. His name is correctly pronounced "Tsutomu." Born in Osaka. Graduated from Tokyo Commercial and Technical Middle School. He had aspired to make a name for himself on the continent from an early age, and after training at Mitsui & Co., Ltd. in China, he became an employee at the company's Shanghai branch in 1905 (Meiji 38). He was highly valued by the branch manager, Yamamoto Jotaro, and was active in maneuvering for an alliance with Sun Yat-sen and in establishing China Kogyo (later Chunichi Jitsugyo). He became a director at the company and demonstrated his skill in acquiring interests. He married Masuda Takashi's niece. In 1914 (Taisho 3), he became the branch manager of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. in Tianjin. In 1920, he left the company and was elected to the House of Representatives as a member of the Seiyukai party. He quickly rose to prominence within the party, and in 1927 (Showa 2) he became Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Tanaka Giichi cabinet (Tanaka also held the position of Foreign Minister), where he effectively served as Foreign Minister, presiding over the Toho Conference. He later became Secretary-General of the Seiyukai party. He allied himself with the military to promote an aggressive policy of aggression, and attacked the Minseito party's Shidehara diplomacy. In 1932, after the Manchurian Incident, he became Chief Secretary of the Inukai Tsuyoshi cabinet. He died suddenly at the end of the same year. Although a party man, he willingly allied himself with the military, causing the party to lose its autonomy, and playing a major role in its downfall and the rise of fascism.

[Makio Okabe]

"Mori Kaku by Kan'ichi Yamaura (1982, Hara Shobo, Meiji Centenary History Series)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

政治家、実業家。名は正しくは「つとむ」とよむ。大阪に生まれる。東京商工中学校卒業。早くから大陸雄飛を志し、三井物産支那(しな)修業生を経て1905年（明治38）同社上海(シャンハイ)支店員。支店長山本条太郎(じょうたろう)に重用され、孫文(そんぶん)との提携工作や中国興業（のち中日実業）の設立に活躍、同社取締役となり、利権獲得に手腕をみせる。益田孝(たかし)の姪(めい)と結婚。1914年（大正3）三井物産天津(てんしん)支店長。1920年退社して政友会から衆議院議員に当選した。党内でも急速に頭角を現し、1927年（昭和2）田中義一(ぎいち)内閣の外務政務次官（外相は田中の兼任）となり、東方会議を主宰するなど事実上外相の役を務めた。のち政友会幹事長。軍部と結んで積極的な侵略政策を推進、民政党の幣原(しではら)外交を攻撃した。満州事変後の1932年犬養毅(いぬかいつよし)内閣の書記官長に就任。同年末に急死した。政党人でありながら進んで軍部と結び、政党の自主性を失わせ、その没落とファシズムの台頭に大きな役割を果たした。

［岡部牧夫］

『山浦貫一著『森恪』（1982・原書房・明治百年史叢書）』

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